THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Benihana Restaurant Review

: Can an old chef learn new tricks? Those at Benihana seem just fine. Long before Japanese and Pan-Asian food became trendy in this country, there was Benihana and its knife-wielding dinner-and-a-show chefs. Most still seem to have plenty of tricks up their chef's jackets sleeves as they sling shrimp, beef and vegetables into the air. Sit either around a communal chef station, where hibachi and teriyaki dishes are prepared, or---if you want to be a party pooper---at a private table. Sample hibachi shrimp, scallops or calamari for starters, and try the snapper teriyaki or the Splash 'N' Meadow (combo of shrimp and steak) entrées. Wash them down with an ice-cold Sapporo, hot saké or an iced, sweet plum wine. Crispy, creamy, hot banana tempura with ice cream is a dessert well worth the calories. Also located at 1665 NE 79th St., Miami Beach; 276 E. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-776-0111; and 3591 S. Roosevelt Blvd., Key West, 305-294-6400.